I am going to see my doctor in a week, and want to bring her some information. I've beeb "disagnosed" with Endometriosis (meaning they didn't do the surgery to be 100% sure, which could mean I don't have it), also been told I have Vestibulitis, and Intercystial Cystitis, which another doctor informed me I didn't actually have. I've seen a lot of doctors and mostly I get that I'm completely healthy, obviously I'm not. Anyways! My question is what were your symptoms, and what did the doctors have to do to diagnose you with PCOS? I don't want to go to my doctor when it's apparent that I don't have it. I read the symptoms and have a few, but mostly it just sounds "normal" to me. About 4 years ago I went to my old doctor and said to her "there is something wrong with my body, it won't lose weight", she told me I was just eating too much. I've gotten that response a lot "you aren't trying hard enough", but thats just not the case. Well this is getting long winded, but anything personal type infomation would be nice, I've read lots of the websites already. Thanks

Diagnosis comes from blood tests. You don't necessarily have to have all the symptoms either. You may want to check out the pages on PCOS on this site. Lots of great information. You have to find a doctor that really believes what you're saying. I am so fortunate that my gyno is such a wonderful and compassionate person. Weight and female issues are such personal things so you do want someone you can trust and someone that will respect you and not write you off as a person with poor eating habits. About 4 years ago I went to my family doctor saying just about the same thing but more about symptoms rather than weight and she didn't believe me. Said I was fine. A year later I ran into some big problems with my cycle and I asked for a referral to the gyno. He was the first doctor that had treated me like a real patient and not just a fat girl looking for something to blame for her weight. Trust me, let them test you for the PCOS. It has really helped me to understand why my body does what it does.

I know the feeling about horrible doctors. I've had so many of them...one wanted to put me on fen-fen before all of the problems with it showed up. Another warned me that if I didn't have gastric bypass surgery, I was going to die, since it was 'obvious' that I had no self control. THAT jerk finally referred me to an endocrinologist--not because he believed me, but because he wanted to see me proven wrong--I sent him a copy of my endocrinologists results, with the diagnosis of PCOS and hypothyroidism--big jerk. PCOS is such a weird syndrome, you could have a lot of the symptoms, or almost none--the major thing is, your ovaries are producing too much testosterone. This causes the excess facial hair, the lack of fertility, and the inability to lose weight. My doctor put me on metformin, spironolactone, and BCP for my PCOS. I really have her to thank for my life--find a GOOD doctor, who believes you, who doesn't call you a liar and put you down! One hint as to finding a good doctor--how do they classify you? According to her classification system, my BMI put me into the "Exceedingly well nourished" category. Tact and consideration should be requirements for medical school!

I have to go along with what everybody has said here, SwimGirl! Glad to see you made it over, too.
I had the SAME experience with a "weight loss specialist", Kamitwi! He used the exact same words to me, and swore I'd never lose weight unless I ate less than 450 calories a day, because my "lack of control" and screwed up my metabolism. He wanted to put me on meds (Meridia, I think), too... and when we asked him to do a hormone panel and bloodwork, he lied. He just did a standard CBC and told us that was normal, so that eating was definitely my problem. 6 months, and 4 endocrinologists later, I had a new reproductive endocrinologist who had a clue... and we started piecing everything together. By the time she was finished, woah boy... NOTHING in my body works the way its supposed to, and we're adding more as we go along.
But, the medication (mainly the spironolactone and the BCP) have helped me lose weight. And seeing some minor results have given me more courage to keep with it, and exercise more than I was before (and I wasn't lazy before either, but did the minimum... 20 minutes 3-4/wk). But my endocrinologist is a wonderful person... And other than GI specialist, the ONLY doctor that ever believed fully that my problem wasn't that I mainlined twinkies!

I hope I can find a good doctor, quickly! The doctor I'm about to see is REALLY good, I've always walked awayfrom my vists with her feeling happy about the experience. The only problem is that she's 8 hours away in my hometown, I should ask her to refer me to someone out where I live now. You know, if my weight loss was just about working out and eat good, I'd be 2 pounds by now. Yes thats right, two pounds. Every day I walk 2km's to the bus to work, and then 2km's home. That doesn't include running around like a mad woman at work ( I work in a really busy plus size retail store), and I feel lazy if I don't get an hour long workout in. As for my diet? Today I treated myself to rice, and it had veggies in it, and a side of chicken. I'm bad, eh? (oops did I mention I'm Canadian?) I'm seeing my doctor in a week, I want to show her that I've been eating perfectly and working out, so I'm going to keep up the eating part until I see her. (No working out due to an incident with a hole, my left ankle and some swelling and bruising). Thanks for all the info ladies, I'm definitely going to print some of the info from this site and take it to my doctor.

Hi everyone!

finding a doctor to discuss fears about PCOS or getting a diagnosis in general seems like it is going to be more daunting than I thought...especially after reading this thread and the "evil and terrible doctors one" I guess just saying point blank "test me for PCOS" would be the best route!

Swimgirl, it seems as though we live in the same city (eh? ) I was wondering if the great doctor you were refering to actually works in Vancouver...Basically at this point, I am interested in any info I can get about PCOS and doctors!

Have a great day

Hey! Sorry for the long delay in replying, I was on vacation! My doctor isn't in Vancouver, not only that, she was on vacation when I was in my hometown. So I have yet to see a doctor, I'm going to try and find one out here. I just started back on the pill, I'm hoping that will even out my outbreaks (of being moody) until I can find a doctor. Let me know if you find one, and I'll do the same heh.

I definitely will! I am at school right now but when I return, and I start my search, I will pass along any info I find. Here's hoping we can find a terrific doctor!

(thanks for the reply)